Following when God leads

At the end of Numbers 9, we have a description of the way the Israelites moved through the wilderness under the direction of the Lord. The pillar of fire and cloud served as a visible sign of the presence of God with Israel. It remained over the Tabernacle, which was in the center of the Israelite encampment, and I'm sure it was visible to everyone by day and by night. (Which brings up another question: With such a visible reminder of the Lord's presence, why did Israel so frequently complain, rebel, and sin? Maybe I'll take up that question sometime later.)

The passage tells us that Israel moved when God moved. If the pillar lifter the morning after the encamped, they broke camp and moved on. If it remained for many days, they waited until it lifted to break camp. This is described in verse 20 as following the Lord's command. The travels of Israel were determined by God, and they neither moved while He remained nor stayed when He moved.

This passage triggered an interesting question in my mind. We often speak about moving where the Lord leads us. This is true both of individual Christians and of churches. Our prayers often revolve around asking God to show us where He wants us to go. The "where" may not geographical, but missional, vocational, or theological. These prayers, however, show us a preoccupation with the goal, rather than with how we arrive at that goal.

I have been part of many churches in my life. Some have been thriving, growing churches, while others struggled (and some no longer exist). Some were ministry oriented, while others were survival oriented. Almost all were concerned with what God wanted them to do. Even when God revealed a direction, however, there was often a rush to get to that point no matter what. We are an impatient people  in our culture, and we want to reach the goal as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Maybe sometimes the Lord shows us where He wants us to go, but then asks us to get there by a route He chooses that defies our sense of efficiency. Even had Israel not rebelled when told to enter Canaan, it took them over a year (at least) to arrive at the Jordan after leaving Egypt. In fact, when Israel leaves Egypt, the Bible explicitly states that God did not take them by the quickest route. because of the difficulties along that route (Exodus 13:17-18). The time they spent getting to the Promised Land was crucial to their future existence as a nation and as God's chosen people.

Perhaps you face a decision today, and you're trying to figure out where God wants you to go. I would encourage you to also ask when. I firmly believe the Lord directs our lives and our churches, and He knows where He plans for us to go. But He also arranges the timing, so that when we "arrive" we will be ready for the place to which He has called us. Don't lose sight of the goal, but be ready to move when God moves, and to wait when God stays. The blessing on your "arrival" will be even greater when you leave it all in His hands.